Århus city council explicitly embraced the new spelling, as it was thought to enhance an image of progressiveness.

In 2010, the city council voted to change the name from "Århus" to "Aarhus" in order to strengthen the international profile of the city. Certain geographically affiliated names have been updated to reflect the name of the city, such as the Aarhus River, changed from "Århus Å" to "Aarhus Å".